The relevant prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 595,485, to Charles R. Lamb for Mosaic Tile issued Dec. 14, 1897. The article of manufacture described in the Lamb patent represents an early attempt to provide a decorative glass structure adapted for mosaic work. The structure as described by Lamb may comprise two transparent glass plates having interposed therebetween a layer of metallic foil and being subsequently bonded by heat treatment so as to be practically inseparable. The inventor herein suggests that an ordinary glazier's diamond can be employed to subdivide the structure so formed into shapes and sizes as desired by the user thereof.
Another prior art U.S. Pat. No. 2,086,185, was issued to Joseph C. Keaney and dated Jul. 6, 1937, for Building Block. A stated primary object of the patent to Keaney is to provide a hollow glass building block adapted to be formed in automatic glass blowing machinery. The inventor noted the practice of the day to form a structural glass building block by the method of molding two semicubical shells of glass and then bonding the shells together to form a complete block. Keaney's block is formed integrally in glass blowing machinery.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,167,764 was patented on Aug. 1, 1939 for Glass Building Block for inventor William, O. Lytle. Lytle's patent describes a transparent sheet of synthetic resin situate between the usual opposing rectangular cup shapes making up a structural glass building block such that the resin provides increased structural strength, greater resistance to the passage of radiant heat and acts as a seal, strongly adherent to glass under heat and pressure, for the opposing edges of the half sections of the block. The inventor further suggests that the resin sheet may be colored so as to cut out part of the light or for decorative purposes in which case it may be printed with designs.
Yet another prior art U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,011 was issued on Oct. 28, 1941 to Otis W. Wiley for Building Block. The patent to Wiley relates primarily to the manufacture of hollow glass building blocks having a fusible screen disposed between the edges of the members forming the block, the screen becoming a permanent part of the completed block upon being fused therebetween by heat treatment.
Of somewhat lesser relevance to the instant invention are the U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,326, issued May 4, 1976 to Michaelis for Translucent Building Blocks and U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,542 to inventor Kline on Aug. 13, 1991 for Architectural Building Block Herewith. 
The patent to Michaelis describes a hollow, translucent building block partially filled with a transparent liquid and with an oblique wall inserted in such manner as to give rise to the visual effects sought by the invention through the optical phenomenon of total internal reflection.
The building block specified by Kline describes an injection molded plastic block structure featuring snap lock connectors to provide even spacing between blocks when assembling a structure made up of a plurality of such blocks. The plastic blocks are claimed to resemble common glass blocks and additionally to provide for tinting by the introduction of tinting materials into the molding resin either prior to or during the molding process. Kline describes various decorative implementations in connection with this patented invention.
A final prior art patent discovered in applicant's pre-examination novelty search is U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,566, granted to Ashby et al. on Nov. 3, 1992 for Decorative Glass Block. Ashby et al. describe a scheme by means of which a decorative panel insert may be interposed between the two adjoined half members through a slot cut into and extending from the top of one vertical side wall of the glass block to the opposite vertical side wall. Subsequent to insertion, the panel is cemented to the bottom interior surface of the of the glass block and the slot is sealed over.
These prior art articles and their methods are commendable and show a creative spirit for their times. The quest for relieving the monotony of clear glass blocks has been long and varied and many creative ideas have been contrived. The originators and their methods have contributed remarkably to the technology involved. These prior art structures, however, do not include those elements of the instant invention that provide a long felt but unmet need in the art.